FINALLY…let’s get down the the Fifth Greatest Invention for the Autism World…Cousins!

Yes I said it…a human being is a great invention (unless you think we came from a bar of soap and lightening)…but I digress…

Cousins. Those of you who know me are aware that I have no cousins. I have 2nd and 3rd cousins (still not sure how that makes any sense) but no 1st cousins–which seem to be the cousins that matter the most.

My mother was an only child and my father was not just an only child but he was adopted–so the Fowler Family Christmas Extravaganza growing up was pretty small. We used to joke we could have a family reunion in a coat closet–and we were right.

Now before you start shedding a tear for pool old me with no cousins…I loved it! I got to pick my own aunts (my sister called me Auuuuunts but we know the real pronunciation is annts) and uncles and family friends. Our “family” was who we wanted it to be–our household was filled with fabulous people who would enter into our family, partake for a while and then move on…some stayed around for longer and to this day, they are connected with our family and I love it!

But I never had cousins. I never understood why anyone would want more people to share grandparents and all those presents with…why would I want to get fewer presents for Christmas? Makes no sense.

But now I understand. My wife and I have two children…her sister has two children…her other sister has a child…my sister has four children…so my children have plenty of cousins and THEY LOVE THEM!

Especially my son with autism–he loves them tremendously! When I tell him that we’re going on vacation or to see cousins he gets so excited! The first person he prays for every single stinking night is Mary Catherine…one of the many cousins. He prays for all of them.

The joy and excitement that I see on his face when he is around them is priceless. They all are aware that he has some non-typical traits. They all love him, play with him, include him, everything…it brings me such joy to see how much they love him and he loves them!

They don’t allow him to “be autistic”…now before you say “that’s a mean thing to say” hear me out…they make him look at their eyes, they make him use his words, they make him be a part of the group…now he might not interact as well as others, he might still stand on the sidelines and do his own thing…BUT…he loves to be around them, he loves to interact with them in his own way, he loves to impress them and wants desperately to be around them.

Cousins…now I understand what I was missing (although I still liked getting more Christmas presents as a kid)

Any recommendations for the Sixth Greatest? Let me know…would love to hear from you out there!